Central America's Main Ports: A Guide for U.S. Shippers

4 hours ago

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If you ship a container from the U.S. to Central America, the port where it arrives matters as much as the port where it leaves. It can change your transit time and your costs, and it decides how far your cargo still has to travel by land to reach the consignee.

This guide covers the main ports in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and Belize: which coast each one is on and how it connects to U.S. ports. The transit times shown are examples from our Q4 2026 ocean rates, valid through December 31.

Colorful stacked containers next to a crane at a cargo portContenedores de colores apilados junto a una grúa en un puerto de carga

Atlantic or Pacific: how to choose

Central America has coastlines on two oceans, and that shapes your route. From U.S. East Coast and Gulf ports (such as Port Everglades, Houston or Baltimore), vessels reach the Atlantic and Caribbean ports. From Long Beach on the West Coast, they reach the Pacific ports.

So start with two questions: where is your cargo leaving from, and where is your customer or warehouse in Central America? Choosing the right arrival port can change your ocean transit time by several days.

Guatemala

Guatemala has ports on both oceans. Santo Tomás de Castilla and Puerto Barrios are on the Atlantic side, and Puerto Quetzal is on the Pacific.

For reference, our Q4 rates show about 3 days of transit from Port Everglades to Santo Tomás de Castilla, and about 8 days from Long Beach to Puerto Quetzal.

El Salvador

Acajutla is on the Pacific coast. For cargo leaving the U.S. East Coast, many El Salvador shipments arrive at Santo Tomás de Castilla in Guatemala and continue overland. From Long Beach, our rates show about 15 days to Acajutla.

Honduras

Puerto Cortés, on the Atlantic coast, is the key port for cargo bound for Honduras. It is also the shortest route among our examples: about 2 days from Port Everglades, Florida.

Nicaragua

Corinto is on the Pacific coast. From Long Beach, our Q4 rates show about 13 days of transit.

Costa Rica

Moín is on the Caribbean coast, so it connects naturally with U.S. East Coast and Gulf ports. If your cargo is headed to Costa Rica, tell us where it ships from and we will confirm the route and transit time.

Panama

Panama has a port on each ocean, next to the Canal: Manzanillo (Colón) on the Atlantic side and Balboa on the Pacific side. Don't confuse this Manzanillo with the Mexican port of the same name. From Port Everglades, our rates show about 5 days to Manzanillo.

Belize

Belize City is the entry point for cargo bound for Belize. Routing and transit time depend on your port of departure, so contact us and we will confirm them.

Summary table: example transit times

Route	Approximate transit time
Port Everglades → Puerto Cortés (Honduras)	About 2 days
Port Everglades → Santo Tomás de Castilla (Guatemala)	About 3 days
Port Everglades → Manzanillo (Panama)	About 5 days
Long Beach → Puerto Quetzal (Guatemala)	About 8 days
Long Beach → Corinto (Nicaragua)	About 13 days
Long Beach → Acajutla (El Salvador)	About 15 days

Ocean transit times from our Q4 2026 rates, valid through December 31. They may vary by carrier and sailing schedule.

Frequently asked questions

What is the largest port in Central America?

By container volume, Panama's ports, Manzanillo on the Atlantic and Balboa on the Pacific, are the largest in the region thanks to their location at the Canal. For cargo moving from the U.S. to Guatemala, El Salvador or Honduras, the key ports are Santo Tomás de Castilla, Puerto Quetzal, Acajutla and Puerto Cortés.

Which port is best for shipping to El Salvador?

It depends on where your cargo ships from. From the U.S. West Coast, the route goes directly to Acajutla on the Pacific. From the East Coast, many shipments arrive at Santo Tomás de Castilla and continue overland. Tell us your origin and ship date and we will recommend the better fit.

How long does a container take from Florida to Honduras?

From Port Everglades to Puerto Cortés, our Q4 2026 rates show about 2 days of ocean transit. Your total timeline also depends on the vessel's sailing date and on when the container is delivered.